Eric Staal settled with a new team that satisfied his postseason aspirations. The Minnesota Wild found the top-six forward they were seeking.

Staal and the Wild agreed to terms Friday on a three-year, $10.5 million contract soon after NHL free agency began. After totaling 13 goals between the Carolina Hurricanes and New York Rangers last season, the lowest number since he was a rookie, the 31-year-old center will take a prove-his-worth mentality into next season.

“I feel like I’ve got a lot of hockey left,” Staal said.

The 45 goals and 55 assists that Stall got in 2005-06 while leading the Hurricanes to the Stanley Cup championship are an improbability at this point. But a potential line with Zach Parise and Charlie Coyle ought to at least put him in position to be a productive offensive player.

“He wanted the opportunity to be the Eric Staal that he was in the past,” said Wild coach Bruce Boudreau, whose Washington teams faced Staal often with Carolina as division rivals. “I told him he would definitely get that chance here.”

Staal spent 12 seasons with the Hurricanes until he was traded to the New York Rangers the day before the deadline. The second overall pick in the 2003 draft has 325 goals and 456 assists in 929 career games. Since Staal entered the league, Jarome Iginla, Patrick Marleau and Daniel Sedin are the only others who’ve played in 900-plus games and totaled at least 300 goals and 400 assists.